Chapter 15: Separated.
BANG Vincent's gun smoke lightly as a large green bug fell lifeless to the ground. "Good shootin'." Barret complimented. Vincent simply holstered his gun and continued on the path. Barret stared after him, "Can't take a #$ compliment!"
"Easy Barret." Tifa put her hand on Barret's arm. "Just calm down." As the group climbed the mountain, Vincent's silence had grated their nerves. He killed monsters without so much as a smirk of triumph. At first they all asked questions of him, but when his silence remained, they eventually stopped.
"You ok Yuffie?" Aerith walked beside Yuffie, "You don't seem like your normal self." Aerith's tone was worried.
Yuffie looked up from studying her shoes. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired is all."
Aerith was convinced, "You've been avoiding him, and you were the one who pushed us so hard to get into that crypt. You haven't acted like yourself since 'Vinnie' joined us." Aerith giggled a little at Yuffie's nickname for Vincent, But stopped when she notice him give her a cold glance. She whispered to Yuffie, "I don't think he likes that name."
Yuffie perked up a little, "Probably not." She whispered back, "He seems like the proper type."
"Come on Yuffie." Aerith's tone worried again, "What's wrong?"
Yuffie decided to give Aerith a little of the truth, "He's so dark, I've never meet a guy like him before. I just don't know what to do around him."
Aerith gave her a knowing smile, "Does someone have a little crush?" She whispered.
Yuffie blushed, "No! Nothing like that!" She whispered back. Yuffie thought of her dreams and the feelings in the mansion, "I'll explain later."
Unbeknownst to the pair, the one in question could easily hear them. His heightened sense of hearing allowed him to hear them as if they were talking to his face. 'I must truly be a monster if I scare the child that bad.' He knew he shouldn't be eavesdropping, but his Turk training had taught him to listen to whispers. Whispers always held information worth hearing.
"Okay guys," Cloud turned back to face the group. "We're about halfway there, just across this bridge and down those mountains. Tifa, you're the guide here, anything else to add?"
Tifa thought carefully, "Okay, I haven't been here in some time, but.." she looked across the bridge. "These mountains are like honeycombs, most of the paths link together. If you get lost just head north, we should all be able to meet at the foot of the mountains. We'll probably have to camp in these mountains tonight, though." Tifa looked to Cloud signifying that she was through.
"Lets mosey." Cloud cautiously stepped onto the bridge, it creaked and groaned, but held firm. Everyone filed onto the bridge, Barret the most worried.
"What if we too heavy?" The huge man seemed almost afraid as he looked over the edge.
"Won't happen," Tifa insisted, "Even if it did, Cloud and I survived before remember?" Tifa's evil grin betrayed her true intentions.
"Not helping!" Barret muttered, but he slowly took cautious steps. "Why don't the brat go first!" Cait Sith shrugged and pushed Barret onto the bridge. Cat Sith stayed close behind Barret, giving him small pushes and causing death threats from the big man. Tifa followed them, laughing quietly. Yuffie quickly brushed past Aerith, seemingly intent on keeping someone between her and Vincent.
Aerith looked back to Vincent who was walking confidently onto the bridge. 'What does the planet intend? How are Yuffie and Vincent linked?' All that she said to him was, "Hurry Vincent, they're leaving us behind." She smiled and rushed past Yuffie. Yuffie tried to protest, but Aerith wouldn't let her past. "Sorry Yuffie, your turn to stand near Vincent."
Yuffie carefully glance over her shoulder, when she met his bloody eyes she quickly looked forward, a small blush creeping to her face. 'I bet he already thinks I'm a brat.' She thought sadly. Suddenly Vincent froze.
"Run." He called to the others, before they could ask why they heard an ominous crack and moan from the bridge. The group hurried forward, but the additional strain caused the rope on their right to snap, the bridge fell from beneath them. Everyone grabbed the bridge, except Aerith and Yuffie. Aerith was close enough to Tifa to grab on to the fighters legs. Yuffie started falling, she watched in slow motion her fingers scraped on the bridge.
'No! I missed!' Yuffie despaired, but then she saw a flash of crimson and felt something grab her wrist. She looked up into Vincent's eyes. The red orbs were intense; she almost had to look away. Vincent, moving far faster than a normal man, had his claw imbedded in the wooden planks and his hand clamped around Yuffie's wrist. And there they hung, AVALANCHE hung by a thread.
"Remain calm." Cloud slipped back into his leader role. "I'm going to try and make it to the other side. You guys..think light thoughts."
"No time for $#&& jokes!" Barret yelled. "Move it spiky-a$$!" Cloud carefully began to move toward the edge, hand over hand. More creaking came from the bridge in protest, and then the worst happened. SNAP They hung in mid-air momentarily before gravity took its effect and AVALANCHE fell into the fog below them.
Yuffie was scared she was going to die. No one could survive this fall, could they? As she fell she felt her wrist being pulled, she looked over to see Vincent. His cape and hair flowing wildly in the wind, 'At least I won't die alone.' That thought provided little comfort as she closed her eyes, she didn't want to see the end coming. She thought of all the things she wouldn't ever get to do, 'No challenging the Pagoda, no restoring Wutai, no more bickering with Godo, no first kiss, never knowing a husband's embrace. Leviathan help us!'
She was startled from her thoughts when she felt herself pulled up against warmth. She opened her eyes to see darkness, after a moment's fear; she looked up and realized where she was. Vincent had pulled her above him; his back would hit the ground first. He was cradling her to him like a child. She couldn't see his face, surrounded by his flowing hair. However, his eyes pierce through, they still had their sadness, but no fear. "Vincent." Yuffie's words were stripped away by the rushing wind. 'He's trying to protect me!' Yuffie's tears finally came, but they too were never seen, dried by the wind.
She clung closer to him, "Vincent." She whispered into his chest, his heart seemed to respond with its rhythmic beating, "Aren't you scared?" The question was never answered, as a sickening thud resounded from Vincent's impact, Yuffie heard the air rush from him, and she felt the impact through him. She fell into darkness.
LATER.
Yuffie felt herself slowly going up and down. She thought it odd that she felt like she was on the ocean, without her seasickness. She slowly fought back the darkness, trying to free her mind; she wasn't at sea she was in the mountains. And her whole body ached, 'What happened?' Finally, the fog cleared from her mind. She lay on top of something soft, surprisingly warm, and breathing? Yuffie looked down and realized she still was held in Vincent's arms; even the impact hadn't made him let her go. She looked down at his face, wreathed by his ebony locks, red bandana, and crimson cape, his face looked ethereal. Then she noticed the blood, blood had tricked slowly from his pale lips.
She reached gingerly up and wiped the blood from his face. "Thank you Vincent." Yuffie tried to get up, but Vincent's arms were locked, his strength far surpassed hers. She continued to struggle but to no avail. "Fine." Yuffie pouted. "Wonder how far we fell?" Yuffie strained her neck to look up, she gasped in shock, the remains of the bridge were easily two hundred feet above them. Her gaze fell back to Vincent's face. "How did we survive? Why did you even do that for me?"
She remained in his arms feeling his breathing and listening to his heart. Yuffie was amazed by the slowness of the beats, it was as if his heart stopped and only occasionally pumped blood. After listening to his heart for some time she noticed the sun getting low, almost touching the tips of the mountain. Yuffie's limbs were getting stiff from not moving, and she noticed for the first time in awhile she felt bored. "Ok, if I'm bored then its time to get moving." Yuffie looked to Vincent's pale face, "VINCENT!"
VINCENT'S MIND, BACK UP TIME JUST A LITTLE BIT.
Vincent remembered feeling the bridge shift dangerously, he remembered calling out to his new associates. He also remembered watching the small girl Yuffie falling, unable to catch the bridge. He watched himself dive for her hoping to catch her and the bridge at the same time. 'So the monster still tries to be the hero.' He berated himself. He felt strange things when she looked up into his eyes, her stormy eyes pleading him. He banished the image, 'She just wanted to be saved, and her eye's would have been the same for anyone else.'
He relived the moment where he pulled her to him and shielded her with his body. Then there was immense pain and darkness. 'Why do you demons torture me with these images? Do you delight so much in making me see what I have lost?' The three demons just laughed and replayed the events over and over again. Vincent blocked the images out with one of his past, Lucrecia. Her brown hair, her small gold rimmed glasses sliding down her nose as she poured over some report. He heard a noise, someone calling someone. The image of Lucrecia looked up and stared straight at him.
"Vincent." A small voice came, not from Lucrecia, but from beyond her. "Vincent!" it called again. Vincent looked to Lucrecia her normally soft eyes were filled with rage; she mouthed the word, "betrayer!" Vincent felt his soul cringe as he responded, "Betrayer? I've never betrayed you." Lucrecia's image turned and stalked away, into the open arms of Hojo. "NOOO!" he cried.
TIME SYNCHS UP AGAIN.
"VINCENT!" Yuffie cried again, her voice slightly hoarse.
Suddenly Vincent's eyes flew open and he cried out, "NOOO! Lucrecia! I didn't betray you!"
Yuffie cowered in his still locked arms; fearful of the emotion the normally silent man had just shown. She remained still as he shook furiously, slowly tightening his arms. She finally spoke up when she could barely breath. "Vinnie! Let me go!"
Vincent looked down to her, his eyes full of panic and pain. As he stared at her, the emptiness returned to them. "Yuffie?" his voice slightly tinged with distress.
"Not for much longer if you don't let me go!" Yuffie struggled again against his arms.
He immediately released her and sat up, holding his head in his hands. Yuffie crawled away gasping for breath, when she finally regained it she returned her attention to the dark man. "Vincent?"
His head shot up, his normal gaze regained. "My apologies Yuffie, I didn't mean to harm you."
Yuffie looked at him carefully. "Thanks for saving my life." Vincent made no reply other than a slight nod. Yuffie looked around, "So..should we get going?" Vincent nodded once again and stood quickly, seemingly unaffected by the fall. Yuffie tried to stand, but the soreness in her legs made her unsteady, she tried taking a step and fell. She was surprised when her decent to the ground was suddenly stopped. Vincent stood next to her; he had grabbed the straps of her armor and suspended her in the air. 'That's another one I owe him.'
"Carefully." His cold voice said as he helped her to stand. She carefully steadied herself and began walking. She stumbled once more but Vincent caught her again. When she looked at his face there was no trace of laughter or annoyance, just nothing. As they continued on the twisting path darkness settled onto them.
"Are we going to stop?" Yuffie could barely see Vincent's form; it was as if the shadows moved to hide him. "Vincent?" She called, when no reply came, she increased her pace. "Vincent!" she called, again no reply she began running. "VINCENT!" her voice was panicked, "VIN-" she ran into something and fell to the ground.
"Are you ok?" Vincent's voice echoed from the shadowy object.
"That was real sneaky Mr. Valentine!" she was suddenly angry and had a sore bottom, "You left me in the dark and didn't answer when I called! How could you do that! Then you decide to play brick wall! Jeez, how inconsiderate!" She took a breath to continue.
"Are you finished?" Vincent interrupted.
Yuffie didn't miss a beat, "No. Why?"
"Found a place to stay for the night." Vincent replied monotone as always.
"Well in that case lead on!" Yuffie hopped up and brushed the dirt off her shorts. "But I'm still not through with you yet!" Yuffie felt more like herself after the short tirade. 'I just needed a good fight.' Yuffie smirked, 'Although its not as much fun when no one fights back.'
"Yuffie this way." Vincent called from within the mouth of a cave.
"Hold up! I thought we already discussed leaving me behind!" Yuffie ran into the cave and immediately bonked her head on something. "OWWW!" She whined rubbing her forehead. 'Smooth move, Kisaragi. Now he thinks you're a complete dofus!'
"Watch your head." Vincent remarked walking past her.
'Did he make a joke?' Yuffie stared after the caped man. 'Naw, he just didn't know I had already hit my head.' Yuffie stared into the darkness of the cave she couldn't see a thing. "Got a light?" she called. Yuffie was startled when two floating red orbs suddenly appeared, she was about to run out of the cave when a small light illuminated Vincent's face. "Did you know your eyes glow in the dark?" She said, more to calm herself then expecting an answer.
Vincent simply lit a small pile of wood. The cavern was filled with the light. Yuffie glanced around the cavern. It was narrow but long, she thought she heard water running. Yuffie cupped her ear. "You hear that? Sounds like water running."
Vincent motioned to the back of the small cavern, "There is a hot spring at that end."
Yuffie's eyes widened. "A hot spring?" Yuffie's mind filled with the thoughts of a bath. No one in the group had bathed since Cosmo Canyon. Yuffie's hair was slightly matted and she knew she didn't smell well.
Vincent had noticed the group's odd smell, but had said nothing; it was no concern of his. Yuffie looked at her tattered clothes, they were grimy. Thoughts of laundry actually entered the girl's mind. (A\N: Probably for the first time. She was a princess and all.) "I'm taking a bath." Yuffie walked toward the back of the cave where a decent sized pool steamed. Yuffie undid her armguard, letting her armor and shuriken drop the floor. She was about to remove her shirt when she remembered Vincent. She whirled about to face him.
"No peeking!" She cried. Vincent just stared into the fire. "Can't you go stand watch or something?" Vincent gave her his cold stare, then to Yuffie's surprise he stood and walked to the cave entrance, his cape whirling behind him. Yuffie stared after him. "Thank you." She said snobbishly, 'I really am feeling better!' She turned her attention back to the spring.
LATER, NOT VERY MUCH LATER, JUST ENOUGH TIME FOR YUFFIE TO BATH AND WASH HER OUTFITS. (SHE ONLY HAS TWO. KNAPSACKS ARE ONLY SO BIG!)
Yuffie sat in the spring, letting her clothes dry out. All her clothes were filthy even her underwear. After some embarrassing thought she removed and washed them as well, keeping a wary eye on Vincent, making sure he didn't peek. However, she was sure he hadn't, he hadn't even moved the whole time she was watching him. He just stood, still as a statue. Yuffie would have never trusted the others not to peek, but she felt she could trust Vincent.
When her clothes had dried, Yuffie shook herself off and quickly dressed. She looked at her yellow sneakers, armor, and shuriken with disdain. 'Not ready for those yet.' She looked to Vincent, the way his cape flowed, ebony hair dancing across the sea of red. 'The dream!' Yuffie realized that Vincent matched the man in her dream. 'He was the one protecting me? But how? Why?' Yuffie lost herself in her thoughts, staring at Vincent.
Vincent felt her eyes on him, he turned his head slightly, "Are you finished Yuffie?"
Yuffie's startled voice echoed, "Yes, you can turn around." Vincent turned, his eyes locked into hers. Vincent tried to ignore the scent invading his nostrils, her scent. She had a rare scent, Vincent's mind tried to remember the name, but it was too far in his past. Her skin and hair were still moist from her bath, the light from the fire played across her skin and hair. She seemed to be glowing. Vincent breath was taken away. Yuffie stared at him, still lost in the revelation.
Vincent barely controlled his voice, "I will take the watch." He turned back to the cave entrance. 'What was that?' Vincent was confused at the emotions that he thought were long dead. 'Is this what Lucrecia meant by my betrayal?' The demons used these new toys and began their torture again. Vincent stared into the darkness.
Yuffie continued to stare after him until the fire died into soft glowing embers. She finally tore her eyes away from him and lay down to sleep. She looked around for her blankets then remembered, '#$ it! Cat and Barret were carrying our camp stuff!' She looked at her spare clothes, another sweater, and shorts. She sighed as she pulled on her spare top and tried to use the shorts and her knapsack as a makeshift blanket. She huddled close to the now dead fire, and there she shivered herself to sleep.
Vincent heard something rattling later in the night. He turned to see Yuffie, curled up into a ball shivering intensely. He was surprised that even his heightened hearing could notice her teeth rattling. "Poor child." He removed his cape and laid it atop her. Yuffie quickly grasped and snuggled deeper into it. "Rest well, ninja." Vincent returned to his post and stared into the darkness. 'What did Lucrecia mean?' He pondered as the night deepened.
Throughout the night, he could hear Yuffie mumble in her sleep, mostly about materia. But once he heard his name, she didn't say it with fear; she actually had a thankful tone to her voice. Vincent looked at his golden claw, 'The only truth to me. This monstrous thing exists to give the world a warning about what I truly am.' He clenched the claw tightly, 'Hojo freed the monster.'